Stainless steel surface finishing: our wide range of finishes

Our stainless steel surface treatment services at a glance

mirrorINOX offers different types of stainless steel surface finishing processes:

Polishing/Mirror polishing

Polishing or mirror polishing is a mechanical inox surface treatment in which the surface of the primary material is first leveled and any defects are removed. Only then is the actual polishing/mirror polishing carried out, producing the required mirror quality of the stainless steel surface.

mirrorINOX polishing lines and techniques are world-leading in terms of technological improvements, the dimensions of the polishable stainless steel sheets/plates and the surface quality of the mirror finish.

The largest-ever mirror-polished sheet, measuring 14,973 x 3,347 x 16.0 mm and weighing 6,415 kg, was also produced by mirrorINOX at the end of 2018.

mirrorINOX combines a number of different polishing and mirror polishing techniques and media with a great deal of experience to produce Mirror No.7, Super Mirror No.8, Marine Mirror No.9. and Perfect Mirror No.10® qualities on a wide range of stainless steel grades such as:

• AISI 430
• AISI 304
• AISI 316Ti
• AISI 316L
• AISI 318LN (“Duplex” stainless steel)

PVD-coating

This surface technology makes it possible to coat stainless steel sheets or parts with an extremely thin layer of approx. 0.2-0.3 μm by vaporising a metal substance in a high vacuum using suitable gases and other parameters.

This so-called arc process, unlike other coatings such as galvanic processes, does not release any toxic or harmful substances. In addition, it is possible to apply a controlled coating in a choice of colours regardless of the base material used (black, gold, rose gold, and more).

PVD/TiN-coatings have a natural metallic appearance and thus stand out from the majority of other types of coating.

nanoINOX®-coating

This innovative nanoINOX® method of surface treatment, based on the sol-gel process, enables unlimited design diversity and gives the material groundbreaking, functional properties such as:

• AntiFingerPrint (AFP),
• Easy-To-Clean (ETC),
• Antibacterial effect,
• Change in electrical conductivity
• Etc.

In our self-configured, state-of-the-art coating line, the inox sheets are pre-treated and cleaned according to the strictest criteria. Afterward, the individually formulated coating medium is applied via a rotary atomizer and then hardened in a 250°C continuous flow heater. This ensures high resistance and durability of the coating.

In addition to fascinating visual appearances, all our nanoINOX® coatings also offer excellent protection of the substrate against environmental influences such as corrosion, weathering, dirt, vandalism and graffiti thanks to the so-called “Lotus” or Easy-To-Clean effect, i.e. the surfaces do not get dirty as easily and are easier to clean.

It is also possible to apply a transparent protective coating to a wide variety of base surfaces, see more on this page.

Compared to alternative materials, nanoINOX® surfaces significantly improve hygiene conditions and save customers cleaning costs, detergents and water, thus reducing costs and protecting not only your budget but also our environment.

Beadblasting

In many areas of industry, for example, plant or mechanical engineering, different blasting processes are usually used to remove various irregularities (chips, scale, etc.) from stainless steel surfaces for later processing or to make the surface of the stainless steel more uniform and matt.

mirrorINOX goes further with its process (injector/venturi blasting) and, by blasting with different glass, ceramic or corundum media, creates decorative and functional surfaces on the metal of the highest quality which are uniformly matt, directionless, low-reflection or reflection-free and of very high homogeneous roughness.

These bead-blasted surfaces are created on stainless steel and aluminium, and also on non-ferrous metals such as brass or copper by bombarding them with a wide variety of blasting particles ranging from fine to coarse and using a wide range of parameters such as pressure, blasting angle and speed.

Here, custom stainless steel/inox and other metal sheets with maximum dimensions of 2,000 mm (width), 6,000 mm (length) and 30 mm (thickness) can be surface treated.

Grit Polishing

Grit-polishing and brush-polishing variants can be used to even out the rather unattractive factory surfaces and to remove minimal defects and imperfections such as light scratches that can be found on them. It is also possible to achieve specified roughness values (Ra) by grit polishing the sheets for technical applications, such as tank or silo construction (e.g., for mixing, brewing, fermentation, and other processes).

mirrorINOX creates a range of aesthetically attractive surfaces with a variety of grit-polishing and brush-polishing techniques.

Among other things, the use of abrasive belts with different grit sizes creates surfaces with a SATIN or HAIRLINE finish, both longitudinal and perpendicular.

The polished finish of the stainless steel sheets or plates can be changed and adapted by using different grit sizes (K80, K100, K240, etc.) and settings on the machine.

Vibration Polishing

A special type of inox grit polishing is vibration polishing, also known as angel hair, rotation polishing or non-directional polishing.

With this optically very demanding surface finishing, a directionless, homogeneous and more or less matt surface is achieved on the stainless steel.

We record the production of each individual sheet very precisely by measuring the roughness depth and the degree of gloss, as well as by expertly assessing the optical appearance of the polished sheets.

The process used by mirrorINOX offers a wide range of designs and types of polishing design patterns combined with high capacities for even the most extensive projects.

Fluid Forming

The technology of fluid forming is only possible through the use of an enormously powerful press (120,000 t!!!), which was originally developed for forming processes in the automotive industry. It is used to form mirror-polished, grit-polished, bead-blasted or PVD/TiN and nanoINOX® coated metal surfaces.

In this way, stainless steel sheets and alternative materials such as steel, aluminium or non-ferrous metals are pressed under high pressure with a liquid onto a specially created tool and a variety of three-dimensional shapes and surface structures are produced.

You can find an initial selection of structures on this page.

mirrorINOX also offers many other customized possibilities for which physics is a limit in a few cases, but almost never the customer’s creativity.

Pattern Rolling

With this stainless steel surface finishing technique, the metal sheet is design- or pattern-rolled in a one- or even two-sided pattern rolling process.

These rolling processes improve the technical properties of the stainless steel such as robustness, rigidity and scratch resistance, as well as visual attributes such as optical flatness or reflection behaviour.

In this area, mirrorINOX offers the traditional designs such as LINEN, 5WL, 6WL or 7WL, but also, depending on the project size, new solutions created according to customer requirements.

mirrorINOX: Your expert for stainless steel surface finishing unites know-how and innovation

mirrorINOX is a young start-up company and was only founded in 2016.

In this short time, mirrorINOX has succeeded in creating unique solutions for the surface finishing of stainless steel/inox, aluminum and non-ferrous metals with considerable know-how and great motivation. We are always highly creative and extremely flexible to the wishes and demands of our clientele.

Materials from our production can already be found in numerous architectural applications, art projects and many other examples worldwide.

Whether you are interested in conventional or completely new processes in the surface treatment of sheet metal, whether your requirement is for one custom stainless steel sheet/plate or 12,000 m², whether you want to improve the surfaces of small parts or refine those of large projects: we at mirrorINOX are your ideal contact for all these questions!

Because stainless steel surface treatment is our core competence and close to our hearts.

Our tools and machines for stainless steel surface treatment

In our production plant at the newly built site in Cleebronn, Germany, the most modern machinery, processing lines, devices, tools and production equipment are used to apply the various types of mechanical and coating surface treatments on stainless steel, aluminum and other non-ferrous metals according to the latest state of the art:

Mirror polishing lines

• World’s largest mirror polishing plant for sheet metal in dimensions of 16,000 x 4,000 mm
• mirrorINOX polishes mirror qualities for the highest demands: Super Mirror No. 8, Marine Mirror No. 9 and Perfect Mirror No. 10®
• Polishing of thicknesses over 20 mm and special stainless steel grades such as AISI 318LN (Duplex) or Quarto

PVD/TiN systems

• Line with an extremely large chamber for inox sheets/plates up to 6,000 mm long and 2,000 mm wide
• Line with compact dimensions for construction and small parts made of stainless steel, such as fittings, pipes, valves and many others

nanoINOX®-coating plant

• Specially configured continuous plant using the sol-gel process
• Heat hardening at 250°C
• Unlimited possibilities in terms of colours, designs and functions due to customized formulations and application processes

Longitudinal and perpendicular grit polishing line

• Ra grit polishing for stainless steel and metal sheets up to 20 mm
• Longitudinal and perpendicular design grit polishing
• Vibration polishing, non-directional polishing
• Cross grit polishing

Beadblasting line

• Blasting with glass and ceramic beads
• Various blasting patterns from smooth to rough in architectural quality with high accuracy and uniformity

Measuring technology

mirrorINOX has the most modern measuring equipment and techniques at its disposal to check the high-quality surfaces for colour, reflection, roughness and gloss values, as well as for criteria such as durability, workability and others, and to record this data.

Peripheral machinery and equipment

To support and complete the production facilities listed above, mirrorINOX has a variety of supplementary machinery and equipment, handling, transport and foiling systems, as well as ultra-modern cleaning lines which, through intensive cleaning, ensure surfaces with the level of cleanliness we require for further processing or coating.

The benefits of stainless steel surface finishing: improved design and properties

Thanks to its passive layer, stainless steel (also called inox) is a corrosion-resistant alloy steel that is used in a great many areas of industry and architecture due to its remarkable properties: building construction, art sculptures, elevators, but also food and medical industry, appliances, boat accessories, etc.

In order to further improve products and applications made of stainless steel, both in terms of their visual appearance and their functional properties, additional surface treatment is increasingly being applied. Brushed stainless steel is traditionally a very common and well-known example of this.

Visual stainless steel surface finishing and improvements are of great importance, especially in architecture.

Colour, gloss, reflection and other design elements are playing an increasingly meaningful role in facades, roofs, wall and ceiling cladding, lifts, escalators, doors, counters and many other applications.

In product design and mechanical engineering too, the visual appearance of stainless steel surfaces is of ever-increasing importance, making the product both attractive and high quality.

There is also a growing number of surface treatments that support and improve the functions of stainless steel or give stainless steels completely new properties.

For example, surface treatment can increase:

• chemical resistance
• weathering resistance
• corrosion resistance
• electrical conductivity.

The application of antibacterial and easy-to-clean coatings, which reduce maintenance and improve the hygienic condition of the stainless steel surface, also creates an even wider field of applications for stainless steel.

All about the surface of stainless steel

Although stainless steel as a material has many positive characteristics, such as easy availability, high resistance and good workability, it is only available in an extremely limited selection of surface variants from inox plants.

The “2B” (matt) and “BA” (shiny) finishes are the most common stainless steel finishes for the lower thicknesses (e.g., 1mm, 2mm, 3mm). However, depending on the factory, material, thickness and batch, they are not of very high optical quality and the applications are visually very limited or can only be used technically.

In particular, the factory surfaces of hot-rolled or Quarto sheets are not suitable for fabrication or use in the architectural or design sector.

mirrorINOX offers a variety of proven and newly developed surface treatment technologies to enhance the attractiveness and functionality of stainless steel. Thanks to our expertise, we are able to provide solutions even for the “extreme” surfaces of hot-rolled or Quarto sheets or plates.

Be it longitudinal or perpendicular, grit polishing, alternative grit-polishing methods, bead blasting, mirror polishing, PVD/TiN colour coating, nanoINOX® anti-fingerprint coating and other processes, mirrorINOX is the leading expert in stainless steel surface finishing!